The Post-war STLs

The Provincial Weymann STLs: STL 2682-2701 (Total 20)

After the war the Country Area was needing to replace its very tired STs,
and not being first in the queue for RTs sought an interim solution
in a purchase of distinctly non-London buses.
(Chiswick was fully occupied with repair work,
so another batch of standard STLs
was not available).
The buses allocated by the Ministry were standard Weymann bodied AEC Regent IIs,
with diesel engines and crash gearboxes,
and as such were numbered as STLs.

They went, new in 1946, to Watford and Luton for route 321 (and later 351).
The first three delivered to Watford were in RED livery,
but were repainted in October 1946.
For a short-lived class they had several minor livery changes.
When delivered, most of them were in off-white and cream, with brown roofs
and black mud-guards and life-guards (see photo below).
The brown tucked down at the corners and the cream area included the cab-side.

This was amended (but not improved) in 1948,
with the off-white giving way to cream, and with the tuck-downs painted cream to give a level roof line
The cab-sides, mudguards, lifeguards and roofs were painted green.
Many received all-green livery in the early 50s, relieved only by a cream band.

The arrival of the Cravens RTs at Watford in July 1951 dispersed them somewhat.
Some went to Grays, for a spell on Essex Thameside.
In 1954 a few went to Hertford (HG) for the 327,
where they were eventually displaced by "the magnificent seven",
pre-war RTs repainted green and sent there especially to allow the sale of the last STLs,
in May 1955.

Once sufficient RTs were available they were sold on to appreciative municipalities:
Widnes had 4, Grimsby 6 and Dundee 10.

STL 2692 is preserved in Kent, restored to London Transport green and cream.

STL 2692 in preservation
Click on image for larger, clearer version
Photo, used with permission, by BusSpotter